Monday, February 26, 2018

Completely Checkered Out!

You knew I couldn’t stop, didn’t you?I was 10 red string blocks short on the one project I was counting on working on.The other “On the Go” project was packed and ready to fly to California on Wednesday.What else is a girl to do but keep going?So is it still a legitimate Leader & Ender project if I am using block parts to build more blocks while building rows?I think so! As long as one unit is being left under the presser foot at all times, you are Leader & Endering – right?At any rate – This was the project before me and I didn’t want to leave the cabin without a finish.

With more mountains in the distance!

Yes, this is my attempt at those artistic quilt photos, where you see quilters running with a quilt along the shore, corners flapping in the breeze and it looks great.

In my case…it looks like a patchwork episode of Scooby Doo:

Well, sort of! LOL!

But I’m happy, oh so happy with this!

It's 82'' x 97'' -or about Queen coverlet size. It would fit a full bed with a nice drop. I make big quilts, I keep trying to use up more fabric!

When it is quilted and bound, and in my not-so-spare time, I’ll see about doing a graphic that shows what I did.

I did not make pieced setting triangles, but laid out the blocks on point, filling in the left and right sides with whole 6-rail blocks. (no checkerboards on them) I trimmed the blocks on the outer edge by placing the 1/4’’ line on the ruler on the diagonal of the edge blocks, paying attention to which way the rails needed to slant. I trimmed the blocks leaving 1/4’’ seam allowance beyond the diagonal.

On a quilt with piecing all the way to the edges I like to set my machine on its longest straight stitch, and run a line of stitching about 1/8’’ from the edge to minimize stretch and to keep all of those seams from popping open during the quilting/binding process.

Is that about as clear as mud?

What to do with these?

These are my cut off pieces and parts! I will likely use them up by piecing a column or two and piece them into the backing for fun and interest.

Also in my not-so-spare time! LOL!

Off the front porch rail photo op.

No, my photos are never as innovative as those younger “Modern” girls, but I still love how good a finish feels, don’t you?

You'll find the block pattern for Checkerboard Rails under the free patterns tab at the top of the blog. The layout of these blocks is up to your own imagination.

Today is for catching up on all of the mail order that came in over the past 10 days that I was gone. Jeff and I have plans to knock it out of the ballpark between today and tomorrow.

I’d love to squeeze in a Quilt-Cam – I know it’s short notice, but how about 8pm Eastern tonight? We haven’t done an evening one in a while, and tomorrow will be an early to bed night as I leave for California super early.

Meet me in Facebook Live at 8pm Eastern and you’ll find me working on those 10 remaining red string blocks. If you miss it, I’ll post it in tomorrow’s blog and you can catch it that way.

Today's quilt quote is definitely going on my wallpaper. Love it. Really, really, like your leader/ender project finish. I had so many projects to complete for new babies coming this year that I decided to use the mystery quilt, On Ringo Lake, as my leader ender challenge starting in January. Made up lots of the individual units but now it is all going to be leader/ender. Hoping to complete it before next one starts.Thank you, Bonnie. Have a wonderful time at Asilomar. I have many fond memories of that place.

Gah!! Another one to add to my list. Bonnie, how is it that every single quilt you finish is as wonderful as the last? If my job didn't interfere with my actual life, I'd try to keep up, but as it is, I'm going to be really busy in retirement making all these BH quilts on my list. LOL!

Perfect setting triangles! lol on leftovers from your Leader/ender. Good you got help taking your Pictures holding your Quilt. Hubster and Tall Boys are good for that. YEA, I can watch Quilt Cam while I Quilt On Ringo Lake tonight. It didn't get loaded on my 'Betsy' yet. Too many late nights watching the Olympics...

Every Spring, the local quilt shops have a Shop Hop. I try to have a theme that guides the fabric I buy at each shop, and last year I decided on doing a Rail Fence quilt using the 7 rainbow colors. Not much was done in 2017 with the 1 yard of each color I bought, but 2018 is my year to focus on the 10-12 UFO projects I have (probably have more but 10-12 are the ones I can easily name off and locate). So I cut a few 1.5" WOF strips of each fabric and then sew together into pairs as my LE's. I know I can get 5 blocks from each strip set and I know I want one WOF strip set to go on the back of the quilt. That's all the planning I'm doing right now. May or June will probably be when I start figuring how many blocks I have and plan a layout.

Wild Bonnie quilt! It is terrific. 😊Your quote today is a good kick starter. Dealing with grief can slam you hard. Quiet literally all of the suddrn energy level drops and mood changes. So good to have your inspirationals to help brighten the day. Bonnie's Sunshine ! Thank you, hugs, JulieinTN

Hi Bonnie! I missed out on your Bedford workshops, but it couldn't be helped. In the meantime I'm doing some "stitch therapy" by starting on the Jamestown Landing pattern, anyway. I'm got a whole NINE string blocks done so far! LOL Whoo hooo! I'd send a pic here to you, but don't see a way how. That's okay. Next time, I'll make it to see you. ~Janea

Bonnie Love your blog! One request - when you blog, can you put the date when you are having QuiltCam? I seem to get the notification to read your blog early in the day AFTER when I think you're writing/posting to your blog so it's hard to know what day you're talking about when you say "today" or "tomorrow".

LOVE it!! The on-point setting of this quilt was an unexpected surprise to me, as I thought you would be setting the blocks in "regular" rows. Thanks for sharing your method of dealing with the setting triangles. That worked well!